Rescued Hurricane Harvey dog serves new role at San Antonio rehab center

A dog that was in really bad shape – starving, full of infections and rescued during Hurricane Harvey – is now part of an ongoing recovery effort in San Antonio.

Author:
Sharon Ko

Published:
6:14 PM CDT August 26, 2018

Updated:
9:20 AM CDT August 27, 2018

SAN ANTONIO — A dog rescued during Hurricane Harvey has a new role at the San Antonio Recovery Center.

Lacy was found on the streets and was staying at a shelter in the Houston area. Unfortunately, the group that took her in had to release animals to make way for other animals that had owners.

San Antonio Pets Alive stepped in to save 90 animals, including Lacy. Maureen O'Nell, SAPA executive director, said she was making a head count at the shelter, when Lacy made a point to be noticed. O'Nell recalled how the dog jumped on her lap and licked her face.

"She had numerous scars all over her body. She had probably been in some fights, trying to get resources, trying to get food," O'Nell said. "She was very, very thin. She had infections from her nose to her tail. She was in rough shape. What we do at San Antonio Pets Alive, is we save the lives of animals that have already been deemed too many. There's nobody showing up for them. There's nobody looking out for them. There's nobody that saying, 'we're going to save those animals.'"

O'Nell posted a picture of Lacy on social media and got connected to the San Antonio Recovery Center. Trish Frye, the director of operations, had been looking for a support animal. She said Lacy was the perfect match.

"She's brought a whole new spirit to the San Antonio Recovery Center. She brings them purpose. Clients take on feeding her, giving her a bath, sometimes they even argue over who gets that job," Frye said. "It's so neat to watch them understand that while she has a history, she has a past, and has been treated horribly in her past, that she can turn around and pour out love and pour out understanding and forgive. And they can do the same thing."

Frye said Lacy has even convinced people to come to treatment at the center.

"When they meet the dog, they go 'okay.' She's the convincing factor like this feels like home," Frye said. "She's absolutely changing lives as these clients have changed her life."